Method of producing sodium aluminum hydrides

ABSTRACT

(A) COMPOUNDS OF THE FORMULA NAAIHX(OR)4-X WHEREIN R IS   -(CH2)Z-N(-R1)-R2   X IS 1 OR 2, Z IS AN INTEGER FROM 2 TO 4 AND R1 AND R2 ARE THE SAME OR DIFFERENT AND ARE SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF ALKYL OR 1 TO 4 CARBON ATOMS AND AN ALIPHATIC ETHER ALKYL GROUP HAVING A TOTAL OR 2 TO 4 CARBON ATOMS AND Z HAS THE SAME MEANING AS ABOVE, AND (B) COMPOUNDS OF THE FORMULA HAAIHX(OR)4-X 3WHEREIN X IS 1 OR 2 AND R3 IS (ALKYLENE O)YR4, WHEREIN ALKYLENE HAS 2 TO 4 CARBON ATOMS, Y IS 1 TO 4 AND R4 IS SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTIG OF ALKYL OF 1 TO 4 CARBON ATOMS, PHENYL,   (TETRAHYDROFURANYL)-CH2- AND (TETRAHYDROPYRANYL)-CH2-   ARE FORMED BY HYDROGENATING SODIUM, ALUMINUM AND (A) IN CASE OF COMPOUNDA A: A COMPOUND SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF AIHM(OR)3-M,   NAAIHM(OR)4-M   AND ROH, R HAVING THE MEANING AS ABOVE. (B) IN CASE OF COMPOUNDS B: A COMPOUND SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF AIHM(OR3)3-M,   NAAIHM(OR3)4-M   AND R3OH, R3 HAVING THE SAME MEANING AS ABOVE AND M I BOTH CASES BEING 0, 1 OR 2, THE SAID REACTION BEING CARRIED OUT AT AN ELEVATED TEMPERATURE AND PRESSURE IN AN INERT AROMATIC HYDROCARBON OR ETHER MEDIUM, AND THE RATIO OF NA TO R IN THE REACTION BEING BETWEEN 1:1 AND 1:3. THE INVENTION ALSO EMBRACES CERTAIN LIQUID REACTANTS COMPRISING ONE OF THE ABOVE COMPOUNDS IN SOLUTION IN AN AROMATIC HYDROCARBON OR ETHER MEDIUM.

United States Patent 3,787,450 METHOD OF PRODUCING SODIUM ALUMINUM HYDRIDES Bohuslav Casensky, 6 E. Kransnohorske, Praha, Czechoslovakia; Jiri Machacek, 66 Hlavni, Krumvir, Czechoslovakia; and Jaroslav Vit, Peter Andrews, P.O. Box 8145 SW. Station, Washington, D.C.

No Drawing. Application Mar. 25, 1970, Ser. No. 22,669,

now Patent No. 3,728,272, which is a division of application Ser. No. 626,664, Mar. 24, 1967, now Patent No. 3,507,895, which in turn is a continuation-in-part of abandoned application Ser. No. 611,845, Jan. 26, 1967. Divided and this application Apr. 22, 1971, Ser. No. 136,595

Claims priority, application Czechoslovakia Jan. 31, 1966, 604/66 Int. Cl. C07d 9/00; C07f /06 US. Cl. 260345.9 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE (A) Compounds of the formula NaA1H (OR) wherein R is x is 1 or 2, z is an integer from 2 to 4 and R and R are the same or difierent and are selected from the group consisting of alkyl of 1 to 4 carbon atoms and an aliphatic ether alkyl group having a total of 2 to 4 carbon atoms and z has the same meaning as above, and

(B) Compounds of the formula NaA1H (OR wherein x is 1 or 2 and R is (alkylene O) R wherein alkylene has 2 to 4 carbon atoms, y is 1 to 4 and R is selected from the group consisting of alkyl of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, phenyl,

L "CH2 and CH1- are formed by hydrogenating sodium, aluminum and (a) in case of Compounds A: a compound selected from the group consisting of AlH (OR) and ROH, R having the meaning as above. (b) in case of Compounds B: a compound selected from the group consisting of AlH (OR NaAlI-I OR and R OH, R having the same meaning as above and m in both cases being 0, 1 or 2,

the said reaction being carried out at an elevated temperature and pressure in an inert aromatic hydrocarbon or ether medium, and the ratio of Na to R in the reaction being between 1:1 and 1:3.

The invention also embraces certain liquid reactants comprising one of the above compounds in solution in an aromatic hydrocarbon or ether medium.

I CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS The present application is a division of application Ser. No. 22,669, filed Mar. 25, 1970, now US Pat. No. 3,728,- 272 which is a division of application Ser. No. 626,664 filed Mar. 24, 1967, now Pat. No. 3,507,895 which in turn is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 611,- 845, filed Jan. 26, 1967, now abandoned, all filed by the inventors of the present application.

3,787,450 Patented Jan. 22, 1974 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Certain organically substituted sodium aluminum hydrides, for instance sodium aluminum alkoxy hydrides and sodium aluminum aryloxyhydrides, are known and used as specific reducing agents in organic chemistry. It is possible, for instance, by using these compounds as reducing agents to reduce aldehydes, ketones and organic acid esters and chlorides to alcohols, to reduce nitro-compounds to amines and nitriles to aldehydes. Furthermore, these compounds are useful as dehalogenating agents.

Various processes have been described for producing these compounds. One process for obtaining substituted sodium aluminum hydrides has been described in application Ser. No. 594,971, filed Nov. 10, 1966.

One of the difficulties encountered in producing the above-described compounds is that they are not prepared from basic reactants, i.e. from aluminum and sodium.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to to provide a method of producing organically substituted sodium aluminum hydrides which can be carried out in a simple and economical manner starting from the basic reagents, i.e. from aluminum, sodium and hydrogen.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a method for the direct synthesis of specific organically substituted sodium aluminum hydrides by reaction in an organic aprotic solvent.

In the above-mentioned earlier application Ser. No. 611,845, a method has been disclosed for producing sodium aluminum hydrides of the general formula and wherein Q is an organic rest derived by splitting otf an active hydrogen atom from a compound selected from the group consisting of wi m- O (V) HS(C -H SR wherein is an integral number between 1 and 5, inclusive, and s is an integral number between 1 and 3, inclusive, and wherein R is selected from the group consisting of alkyl, 'aryl, alkoxyalkyl of the type wherein R" and R'" are each selected from the group consisting of alkoxyalkyl of the formula R'0'(CH and R, wherein R is selected from the group consisting of alkyls with l-4 carbon atoms and aryls with 68 carbon atoms and wherein z is an integral number between 2 and 4, inelusive;

(d) Polyetheralcohols of the type, obtainable by dehydration of polyglycols and etheralcohols, by dehydration of polyglycols and tetrahydrofurfuryl-aleohols, and by dehydration of polyglycols and tetrahydropyranyl alcohols;

(e) Polyetheralcohols, of the type obtainable by alkylation of two hydroxyl groups in triols;

(f) Polyetheralcohols of the type obtainable by dehydration of olyetheralcohols of paragraph (e) and diols, and by dehydration of polyetheralcohols of paragraph (c) and polyglycols.

The method there disclosed comprises the step of reacting, under hydrogen pressure, at least one compound selected from the group consisting of NaAlZ AlZ ZH, NaAlHz 2, NaAlHl NaAlH Z, AlHZ and AIH Z, wherein Z has the same meaning as above, with aluminum at at least one substance selected from the group consisting of sodium, NaZ, and sodium hydride.

In another embodiment of the invention, the reaction is carried out, under hydrogen pressure, between aluminum and at least two substances selected from the group consisting of sodium, NaZ and sodium hydride, it being stipulated that at least one of the said substances must be NaZ, Z having the meaning as above. NaZ must be soluble in benzene or another aprotic solvent.

The present divisional application is directed to a method of making specific compounds coming under the above formula and liquid reactants formed with these compounds.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention accordingly resides in a process of making a compound selected from the group consisting of (A) Compounds of the formula NaAlH tIOR) wherein R is x is 1 or 2, z is an integer from 2 to 4, and R and R are the same or different and are selected from the group consisting of alkyl of l to 4 carbon atoms and an aliphatic ether alkyl group having a total of 2 to 4 carbon atoms and 2 has the same meaning as above.

(B) Compounds of the formula NaAlH (OR wherein at is 1 or 2 and R is (alkylene O) R wherein alkylene has 2 to 4 carbon atoms, y is 1 to 4 and R is selected from the group consisting of alkyl of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, phenyl,

l i-CI-Iaand m with the proviso that if x is 2 and alkylene has 2 carbon atoms, then R shall be other than methyl, the said process comprising hydrogenating sodium, aluminum and (a) in case of Compound A: a compound selected from the group consisting of AlH (OR) NaAlH 4-111 and ROH, R having the meaning as above, (b) in case of Compound B: a compound selected from the group consisting of AlH (OR and R OH, R having the same meaning as above and m in both cases being 0, 1 or 2,

the said reaction being carried out at an elevated temperature and pressure in an inert aromatic hydrocarbon or ether medium, and the ratio of Na to R in the reaction being between 1:1 and 1:3.

The invention also embraces liquid reactants comprising solutions of the above Compounds I or II in an aromatic monocyclic hydrocarbon, or ether compound.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The organic starting compounds which may be used as reactants, as will be described in detail further below, may be prepared by the reaction of the respective alcohol with the metal, i.e. with sodium or aluminum, or With the respective hydride, i.e. with sodium hydride or aluminum hydride. There is no difficulty involved in preparing the thioalkoxy, dialkylamino and alkylamino substituted derivatives. In the case of the preparation of the thioalcoholates, however, it is recommended to start from the more reactive hydrides NaH and AlI-I instead of the metals.

The reactions, generally, may be carried out in liquid media, such as hydrocarbons, ethers (diethyl ether, mono glyme, tetrahydrofurane) using an excess of the ZH compounds, so as to prepare the compounds in satisfactory yields.

The thus formed compounds are insoluble in the reaction medium and thus will be formed as a suspension.

The thus formed suspension in a liquid reaction medium may be used directly as a mixture of NaZ and Z or A12 and ZH, respectively, Z having the meaning as given in the Background discussion, without any further purification or isolation, for the direct synthesis of the present in vention; in the case of the preparation of the NaZ and AlZ compounds, without excess of the ZH compound, atomic metal, i.e. sodium or aluminum will be in the liquid reaction mixture. The presence of these metals in said reaction mixture is of no inconvenience in the preparation of the sodium aluminum hydrides of the formula according to the present invention, since they represent one of the reactants. Thus, the crude reaction mixture obtained from the preparation of NaZ or AlZ may be used so that the isolation of NaZ and AlZ seems rather unnecessary.

Another advantageous method of producing aluminum alcoholates and thioalcoholates of the type AlZ is based on the following equilibrium reactions:

wherein R is the same as above. It is advisable to use an excess of ZH and to carry out the reaction under simultaneous removal of CH OH or ROH, the boiling point of which must be lower than that of ZH, which usually will be the case. The stripping off of the CH OH or ROH may be conveniently carried out by using a rectification column. The starting aluminum alcoholates to carry out the reactions (1) and (2) are easily accessible in a pure state, even on an industrial scale. To start from AI(OCH seems to be most advantageous, since the same is insoluble, e.g. in hydrocarbons, thus facilitating the separation of any unaltered portion thereof from the reaction mixture. The product A1Z may be isolated by simply stripping off the ROI-I and the excess of ZH. The starting compound of the type NaAlZ may be prepared by the reactions accounted for as follows:

(7) AlZ X -]-(3-q)NaH- A1Z H +(3-q)NaX wherein X is halogen and q is 1 or 2. As for the compounds of the formula AlZ X they are readily accessible, e.g. by the reaction:

qAlZg (3-g)A1X; AIZ X There is, of course, another way to prepare compounds of the type AlH2Z and AlHZ which is shown by the following equation:

AlHa qZH AlzqHa-u 9H2 There exists also the possibility of converting the compounds of the type NaAlH Z wherein y%x=1, 2 or 3 into the compounds of the general formula wherein x=y, but otherwise has the same meaning as above, and wherein Z and n each have the same meaning as above.

Some methods of preparation of the starting compounds of the type NaAlH Z are disclosed in the German Pat. 1,085,515, and are also described in US. application Ser. No. 594,971.

The general method is further illustrated by the following Equations 10-53, assuming that in the said equations the number of moles of Al, Na, NaZ or NaH, respectively, is greater than zero, or, in the case of adding two or more of the equations together, on the assumption that 2A1, ENa, ENaZ, ENaH, respectively, in the thus added equations is greater than zero.

In Equations 10 to 53, g is any number between zero, inclusive, and fifty times the number of moles of the group Z entering the reaction, preferably between zero, inclusive, and five times the number of moles of the group Z entering the said reaction; x is an integral number between 1 and 3, inclusive. The range of g and x is given on the assumption, again, that the sum of the number of moles, ENa, ZNaH, and ZNaZ is greater than zero and that also the number of moles of A1 is greater than zero. This is not the case, for instance, if any of the Equations 10 to 13 has the values x=1 and g=0. However, if Equations 10 to 13 are combined with any of the Equations 14 to -3 that are not excluded if x=1 and g=0, the thus added Equations to 13 will then also be practicable according to this invention and will fall within the scope of the same even though x=1 and g=0. Similarly, in the Equations 10 to 13 and 30 to 41, the g(x) values must always be chosen to satisfy the basic condition of the present invention, i.e., that at least one of the substances selected from the group consisting of Na, Nell and NaZ, a certain amount of aluminum, and at least one of the compounds selected from the group consisting of AlZ NaAlZ ZH, AIH Z, AlHZz, and NaAlI-I Z are present in the reaction mixture (y being an integral number between 1 and 3 that is difierent from x).

In contradistinction thereto, the number of moles of hydrogen entering into any of the reactions illustrated by Equations 10 to 53 may possibly be zero provided that the aforementioned conditions are satisfied. The presence of hydrogen under superatmospheric pressure, however, is a necessary condition; the hydrogen present need not necessarily be consumed by the reaction.

Combinations of these equations are also possible. However, it will be understood that it is practically impossible to give here all possible combinations.

The following example of combining the Equations 14,

31, 42 and 48 together is illustrative only, without, how-- ever, limiting the invention to the specific details thereof (54):

Example XXXVII below was carried out following this equation after insertion of 2 for x and of zero for g.

Various other combinations of the Equations 10 to 53 are specifically carried out and described in Examples VIII, XII, XVI, XXIII, XXXI, and XXXIV below.

For practical purposes, however, working with one starting reactant only, selected from each of the two respective groups, and with aluminum, seems to be the most simple and suitable manner of carrying out the invention is to use one and only one of the Equations 10 to 53 at the same time. A combination thereof, however, may sometimes prove useful.

Thus, by means of the reactions (10) to (53) there may be obtained (I) substituted chemically distinct hydrides NaAlH Z (II) mixtures of substituted hydrides NaAlH Z (III) mixtures of substituted hydrides, the latter being selected from the group consisting of Na AlH and NQAIHq,

wherein Z has the same meaning as above and x is an integral number between 1 and 3, inclusive. Whether only substituted hydrides NaAlH Z are obtained, or whether the said hydrides result as a mixture with non-substituted hydrides selected from the group consisting of Na AlH and NaAlH, depends primarily on the choice of the Equations 10 to 53, based on which the reaction is carried out, secondarily on the choice of the values for x and g which are inserted into the selected Equation. There are certain equations among Equations 10 to 53 which -provided they are not combined with other equations will yield exclusively mixtures of substituted and nonsubstituted hydrides; preparation of substituted hydrides NaAlI-I Z only is not practical following these Equations.

Any of the reactions (10) to (53) or any of their combinations may be carried out in an aprotic solvent.

The aprotic solvent medium, in which the above-described reactions of the present invention are carried out, is preferably selected from the group consisting of hydrocarbons and ethers; the preferred aprotic solvent is benzene or toluene; however, any of the aprotic solvents described may be used.

A preferred embodiment of the invention comprises carrying out the reaction at a temperature of to 220 0, preferably at to 200 C., and at a hydrogen pressure between 2 and 200 atmospheres.

That the reactions of the present invention and the isolation of the products are subject to conversions of the following type which cannot be prevented must be kept in mind in the interpretation of Equations (10) to (54) and their combinations:

They are readily soluble in non-polar aprotic solvents, such as aromatic hydrocarbons, whereby the field of their possible application is increased, as has been disclosed in detail in US. application 594,971.

The following examples illustrate in detail various embodiments which fall within the scope of the invention.

EXAMPLE I Into a pressure vessel of 2.5 liters volume were charged 18 g. sheet aluminum (as usually used in the preparation of aluminum alcoholates) i.e. 0.66 11101., 46 g. sodium (2 moles), 336 g. of Al(OCH CH OCH (i.e. 1.33 moles), and 600 ml. benzene. Eight balls were inserted into the pressure vessel to elfect stirring of the reaction mixture. Hydrogen was introduced into the pressure vessel to establish a pressure of 100 atmospheres. The reaction was carried out at 190 C. across 6 hours. Subsequent to filtration, and after evaporation of benzene, 396.3 g. of

NaAlH OCH CH OCH 2 were isolated from the reaction mixture, i.e. 98.1% of the theory.

EXAMPLE II Into the same pressure vessel as described in Example I were charged 350 g. of NaAl(OCH CH OCH i.e. 1 mol, 23 g. of sodium (1 mol), 27 g. of aluminum (1 mol) and 600 ml. of benzene. The reaction was carried out similarly under substantially the same reaction conditions as described in Example I. Isolation yielded 397.1 g. of NaAlH (OCH CH OCH which corresponds to 98.3% of the theory.

EXAMPLE III NaAlH OCH CH OCH 2 was isolated, 396.8 g. of the said product obtained, i.e., 98.2% of the theory.

EXAMPLE IV Into a pressure vessel of 2.5 liter volume were charged 20.4 of powdered aluminum of 88.23% purity (containing 11.77% aluminum oxide), 46 g. sodium (2 moles) 387 g. Al(OCH CH N(CH i.e. 1.33 moles, and 600 ml. benzene. Eight balls were inserted into the pressure vessel for stirring of the reaction mixture. Hydrogen was fed into the vessel to establish a pressure of 100 atmospheres. The reaction was then carried out at a temperature of 180 C. for a period of 2 hours. Subsequent to filtration and evaporation of benzene, 443.3 g. of

NaAll-I OCI-I CHQN 3 z) 2 was isolated from the reaction mixture, which corresponds to 98.2% of the theory.

EXAMPLE V The same pressure vessel as in Example IV was charged with 402 g. NaAl(OCH CI-I N(CH i.e., 1 mol, 23 g. sodium (1 mole), 30.6 aluminum of 88.23% purity (1 mol), and 600 ml. benzene. Under conditions identical to those of Example IV, 443.7 g. of

NaAlHg 2) 2 which corresponds to 98.3% of the theoretical yield.

EXAMPLE VI Into the same pressure vessel as described in Example I were charged 46 g. sodium (2 moles), 61.2 g. aluminum of 88.22% purity (2 moles), containing 11.28% of aluminum oxide, 356 g. (CH NCH CH OH and 600 ml. benzene. A pressure of 50 atmospheres was established in the pressure vessel prior to heating. The pressure vessel was heated for 3 hours, at 180 C. the reaction was discontinued; 442.8 g. of NaA1H (OCH CH N(CH was isolated, i.e., 98.1% of the theoretical yield.

EXAMPLE VII Into a rotary pressure vessel, as described in Example I, were charged 30.6 g. aluminum powder of 88.23% purity (1 mole), 23 g. sodium (1 mole), 64.1 g. of methyl alcohol (2 moles) and 600 ml. toluene. A stirring bar was inserted into the pressure vessel for stirring the reaction mixture and hydrogen was introduced to establish a pressure of atmospheres. The reaction was carried out at a temperature of 170 C. for a period of 2% hours. Toluene was stripped off and 110.8 g. of

NaAlI-I 2 was extracted with tetrahydrofurane from the reaction mixture, i.e. 97.2% of the theoretical yield.

EXAMPLE VIII Into the pressure vessel as referred to in Example VII were charged 30.6 g. of aluminum powder (88.23% purity), i.e. 1 mole, 46 g. of sodium (2 moles), 138.21 g. ethyl alcohol (3 moles), 162 g. Al(OC I-I and 600 ml. benzene. Upon treatment of the reaction mixture in the manner described in Example VII, 359.72 g. of

NaAlH 5) 3 was obtained, which corresponds to 96.7% of the theoretical yield.

. EXAMPLE IX Into the pressure vessel as referred to in Example VII were charged 113.1 g. NaAl(O(CH CH i.e., 0.25 mole, 17.25 g. of sodium (0.75 mole), 23 g. aluminum powder of 88.23% purity (0.75 mole) and 600 ml. benzene.

Eight steel balls were inserted into the pressure vessel for stirring of the reaction mixture and a pressure of atm. was established in the pressure vessel by introduction of hydrogen. The reaction was carried out at C. for a period of 3.5 hours. 149.7 g. of

1 NaAlH O(CH CH Was obtained, i.e. 97.1% of the theoretical yield.

EXAMPLE X The pressure vessel as referred to in Example VII was charged with 30.6 g. aluminum powder of 88.23% purity (1 mole), 23 g. of sodium (1 mole), 188.2 g. phenol (2 moles) and 500 ml. benzene. The reaction was carried out at C. for a period of 4 hours, in the manner described in Example VII. Benzene was stripped off, and

was obtained, i.e., 94.5% of the theoretical yield.

EXAMPLE XI The pressure vessel referred to in Example VII was charged with 23 g. sodium, 30.6 g. aluminum powder of 88.23% purity (1 mole), 216 g. p-cresol (2 moles). The reaction and isolation was carried out in the manner described in Example X; 255 g. of NaAlH (OC H CH was isolated, i.e., 95.8% of the theoretical amount of the product was recovered.

EXAMPLE XII The pressure vessel as referred to in Example VII was charged with 11.5 g. sodium (0.5 mole), 15.3 g. aluminum powder of 88.23% purity (0.5 mole), 62 g. of

[ LCH ONa (0.5 mole), 165 g. of

gum

1 1 and 600 ml. toluene. Under conditions identical with those described in Example X,

man-12 (OCHa was prepared and 249 g. of the product recovered, i.e., 98% of the theoretical yield.

EXAMPLE XIII The pressure vessel referred to in Example VII was charged with 23 g. of sodium (1 mole), 30.6 aluminum powder of 88.23% purity (1 mole), 180.3 g. of isopropyl alcohol (3 moles), and 600 ml. of benzene. Upon treatment described in Example X, isolation as described therein yielded 220 g. of

CH; NaAlH(O OH/ Hs i.e., 96.4% of the theoretical yield.

EXAMPLE XIV Into the pressure vessel referred to in Example VII, 23 g. sodium (1 mole), 30.6 g. aluminum powder of 88.23% purity (1 mole), 152 g. CH OCH CH H were charged. Eight steel balls were inserted thereinto and hydrogen introduced to establish a pressure of 75 atm. The reaction was carried out at a temperature of 165 C. for a period of 4 hours. The reaction mixture was extracted from the pressure vessel with 700 ml. benzene and the solid residue was filtered otf; upon stripping off the benzene, 195 g. of NaAlH (OCH CH OCI-I was obtained, i.e., 96.5% of the theoretical yield.

EXAMPLE XV The same pressure vessel as referred to in Example VII wan charged with 11.5 g. sodium (0.5 mole), 15.3 g. powdered aluminum of 88.23% purity (0.5 mole), 79.5 g. (0.25 mole) of NaAlI-I(OCH CH OC H and 600 ml. diglyme; a stirring bar was inserted into the pressure vessel and hydrogen introduced to establish a presstue of 85 atm.; the vessel was heated to 165 C. for a period of 3 hours. The solid residue was filtered oil and diglyme was stripped off in vacuo to recover the resulting NaA1H OCH CH OC H The product was obtained in an amount of 104.7 g., i.e., 98.3% of the theoretical yield.

EXAMPLE XVI Into the pressure vessel referred to in Example VII, were charged 11.5 g. sodium (0.5 mole), 15.3 powdered aluminum of 88.23% purity (0.5 mole), 87 g.

NaO CH2CH20 (0.5 mole), 240 g.

i.e. 0.5 mole, 600 ml. toluene and a stirring rod. Hydrogen was fed into the pressure vessel to establish the pressure of 75 atm.; the reaction was carried out at 160 C. for a period of 4 hours. Upon extraction with toluene, 335 g. of

NaAlHz(O 0132013206) was obtained, i.e.,94.6% of the theoretical yield.

EXAMPLE XVII Into the pressure vessel referred to in Example VII, there were charged 23 g. sodium (1 mole), 30.6 g. powdered aluminum of 88.23% purity (1 mole), 312.4 g. CH O(CH OH, i.e. 3 moles, and 600 ml. benzene. The reaction and isolation of the product was carried out in the manner described in Example X; 340 g. of NaAlH(O- 1 2 (CH OCH was obtained, i.e. 95.5% of the theoretical yield.

EXAMPLE XVIII Into the same pressure vessel as referred to in Example VII there were charged 15.3 g. powdered aluminum (88.23% purity), i.e. 0.5 mole, 71 g.

(0.5 mole), 131.5 g. NaAl(OCH CI-I OCH CH OCH i.e., 0.25 mole, 600 ml. benzene and a stirring rod. Hydrogen was fed into the pressure vessel to establish a pressure of atm. The reaction was carried out at 160 C. for a period of 4 hours. Subsequently, benzene was stripped 05; upon extraction with tetrahydrofurane, 210 g. of NaAlH (OCH CH OCH CH OCH was isolated, i.e., the yield amounted to 96.5% of the theoretical.

EXAMPLE XIX Into a pressure vessel referred to in Example VII were charged 23 g. sodium (1 mole), 30.6 g. powdered aluminum of 88.23% purity (1 mole), 360 g. of monomethylether of diethyleneglycol (3 moles) and 8 steel balls. Hydrogen was introduced into the vessel to establish a pressure of 90 atm. The reaction was carried out at 180 C. for a period of 4.5 hours. Subsequent to extraction with 1000 ml. of tetrahydrofurane, the solid residue was filtered otf and 394 g.

NalH (OCH CH OCH CH O CH was recovered from the filtrate by stripping off the solvent. The yield was 96.5% of the theoretical.

EXAMPLE XX The pressure vessel referred to in Example VII was charged with 17.25 g. sodium (0.75 mole), 7.65 g. powdered aluminum of 88.23% purity (0.25 mole), 231 g.

.Al (O CHzCHaO GE K0 600 ml. benzene and a stirring rod. Hydrogen was introduced into the vessel to establish a pressure of 75 atm. and the reaction was carried out at C. for a period of 2.5 hours. The solid residue was filtered oil and upon stripping off benzene from the filtrate, 250 g.

NaAIHz (0 CH7 CHzO CH3-L 0 2 was recovered, i.e., 97.5% of the theoretical yield.

EXAMPLE XXII Into the pressure vessel referred to in Example VII were charged 46 g. sodium (2 moles), 30.6 g. powdered aluminum (1 mole), 76 g. monomethylether of ethylene glycol (one mole) and 8 steel balls (diameter 2.5 cm.). A pressure of 100 atm. hydrogen was established in the pressure vessel by introduction of hydrogen. The pressure vessel was heated to C. for 3.5 hours. The re- 15 in a yield which corresponds to 96% of the theoretical. The solid residue contained 83.6% of Na AlH EXAMPLE XXXIII The same pressure vessel referred to in Example VII was charged with 15.3 g. aluminum powder (0.5 mole), 69.5 g.

NaO CH mole) HO CH LD (1 mole) 600 m1. benzene and a stirring rod. Further treatment of the reaction mixture and isolation was the same as in Example X; 196 g. of

NaAlH 0 CH was obtained, which corresponds to 98.2% of the theoretical yield.

EXAMPLE XXXIV The same pressure vessel referred to in Example VII was charged with 11.5 g. sodium (0.5 mole), 15.3 g. aluminum powder of 88.23% purity (0.5 mole), 253.6 g.

Al ocmcmoon, 3

i.e., 0.5 mole, 91.5 g.

NaO cngcnzo ca. 0.5 mole) 600 ml. toluene and a stirring rod. Further treatment of the reaction mixture and isolation was the same as in Example XXIX. The reaction yielded 365.3 g.

NBAlHz O CHaCHgO CH2 i.e., 98.2% of the theoretical.

EXAMPLE XXXV The same pressure vessel referred to in Examples I and VII was charged with 23 g. sodium (1 mole), 15.3 g. aluminum powder of 88.23% purity (0.5 mole), 116.1 g.

.AIH OCHzCHrN NaAlHa O CHzGgzN CHzCHa was obtained, i.e., 96.7% of the theoretical yield.

EXAMPLE XXXVII The same pressure vessel referred to in Example VII was charged with 49 g. NaOCH CH OCH (0.5 mole), 'g. NaA1(OCH CI-I 0CH i.e., 0.2 mole, 15.8 g. AlH(OCH CH OCH (0.1 mole), 4.6 g. sodium (0.2 mole), 18.36 g. aluminum powder of 88.23% purity (0.6 mole, 25.2 g. AI(OCH CH OCH i.e., 0.1 mole, 55.2 g. NaAlH(OCH CH OCH i.e., 0.2 mole, 600 ml. toluene and a stirring bath. The pressure vessel was fed with hydrogen to establish a pressure of atm. and a stirring rod. The reaction was carried out for a period of 4 hours at 165 C. The solid residue was filtered OE and toluene stripped off from the filtrate; 238 g.

NaAlH (OCH CH OCH was obtained, i.e. 98.1% of the theoretical yield.

EXAMPLE XXXVIII The same pressure vessel referred to in Example VII was charged with 6 g. sodium hydride (0.25 mole), 7.65 g. aluminum powder of 88.23% purity (0.25 mole), 99.7 g. NaAl(OCH CH CH(CH i.e., 0.25 mole, 600 ml. benzene and a stirring rod. Further treatment of the reaction mixture and isolation of the product were the same as in Example XXIX. The reaction yielded 100 g. NaAlH (CH CHCH CH O) i. e., '97 .2 of the theoretical.

EXAMPLE XXXIX /CH5 NaAlHa O CECE i.e., 96.8% of the theoretical yield.

EXAMPLE XL The pressure vessel referred to in Example VII was charged with 46 g. sodium (2 moles), 15.3 g. aluminum powder of 88.23% purity (0.5 mole), 73 g.

(0.5 mole) and 8 steel balls. The pressure vessel was closed and hydrogen introduced thereinto to establish a pressure of 100 atm. The reaction was carried out at C. for a period of 5 hours. Extraction with tetrahydrofurane yielded 83 g. NaAlH OCH CH OC H -n, i.e., 97.6% of the theoretical yield; the solid residue amounted to 54.8 g. of a solid substance, 89.4% of which was Na AlH i.e., 96% of the theoretical amount.

EXAMPLE XLI Into the pressure vessel referred to in Example VII, 6 g. sodium hydride (0.25 mole), 7.65 aluminum powder of 88.23% purity (0.25 mole), 133.7 g.

action mixture was extracted with benzene and, subsequently, benzene was stripped off; 98.5 g.

NaAlH OCH CH OCH 2 was recovered, i.e., 97.5% of the theoretical yield. From the solid residue, which remained after the extraction and mounted to 58.2 g., 86.1% was Na AlH thus, trisodium aluminum hexahydride was obtained in a 98% yield.

EXAMPLE XXIII The pressure vessel, referred to in Example VII, was

charged with 69 sodium (3 moles), 30.6 g. powdered aluminum of 88.23% purity (1 mole), 294.1 g.

Al (OCH CH OC' H 3 i.e., 1 mole, 118 g. AlH (OCH CH OC H (0.1 mole) and 8 steel balls. Hydrogen was fed into the vessel to establish a pressure of 100 atm. and the reaction mixture was heated to 160 C. for a period of 3.5 hours. Extraction with benzene yielded 448 g. of the product which corresponds to 97.4% of the theoretical yield. The subsequent extraction with benzene gave NaAlH; in a 96.3% yield; 52 g. of the said by-product was recovered.

EXAMPLE XXIV i.e., 0.3 mole, 64 g.

NaO (cnmsomi j i.e. 0.3 mole, 600 ml. benzene and a stirring rod. Hydrogen was introduced to establish a pressure of 100 atm., and reaction carried out at 170 C. for a period of 4 hours. Identical isolation as described in Example X yielded 200 g.

NaAlH O (CH1) scan) l i.e., 96% of the theoretical yield.

EXAMPLE XXVI The pressure vessel referred to in Example VII was charged with 23 g. sodium (1 mole), 30.6 g. aluminum powder of 88.23% purity (1 mole), 284.2 g.

NaAlH (OCH CH N ('C H z) 2 (1 mole), 600 ml. diglyme and a stirring rod. Hydrogen was introduced to establish a pressure of 100 atm. and the reaction mixture was heated to 160 C. for a period of 4 hours. The solid residue was filtered 0E and, by stripping ofi diglyme in vacuo, 330 g. of

NaAlH(0CH CH N 0211.003

was recovered, which corresponds to 97.5% of the theoretical yield.

EXAMPLE XXVII Into the pressure vessel referred to in Example VII, 23 g. sodium (1 mole), 30.6 powdered aluminum of 88.23% purity (1 mole), 210.36 g. (CHQ NCH CH SH (2 moles) and 600 ml. benzene was charged. Identical operation and isolation as described in Example X yielded 255 g. NaA1H (SCH CH N(CH which corresponds to 97.9% of the theory.

EXAMPLE XXVIII The pressure vessel referred to in Example VII was charged with 46 g. sodium (2 moles), 30.6 g. aluminum powder of 88.23% purity (1 mole), 78.85 g. of

NaAlH (OCH CH N (CH 2) a,

i.e. 0.25 mole, and 8 steel balls. Hydrogen was introduced into the vessel to establish a pressure of atm. The reaction was carried out at C. for a period of 2.5 hours. Extraction with tetrahydrofurans yielded 103 grams of NaAlH (OCH CH N(CH i.e. 97.4% of the theoretical yield; moreover, 57.4 g. of an insoluble substance was obtained, which contained 86.5% of NagAlHg in a yield which corresponded to 97.2% of the theoretical.

EXAMPLE XXIX The same pressure vessel referred to in Example VII was charged with 18 g. sodium hydride (0.75 mole), 7.65 g. of aluminum powder of 88.23% purity (0.25 mole), 150.1 g. Al(SCH CH OCH i.e., 0.5 mole, 600 ml. toluene and a stirring rod. The pressure was increased to 100 atm. by introducing hydrogen and the reaction carried out at C. for a period of 5 hours. Isolation was carried out in a manner analogous to that of Example X; 170 grams of NaAlH (SCH CH 0CH was recovered, i. e., 96.8% of the theoretical yield.

EXAMPLE XXX The pressure vessel referred to in Example VII was charged with 11.5 g. sodium (0.5 mole), 15.3 g. aluminum powder of 88.23% purity (0.5 mole), 15.3 g. aluminum powder of 88.23% purity (0.5 mole) 137.3 g.

H(SCHg) -i 0 1(1 mole) 600 ml. toluene and a stirring rod. Reaction and isolation was carried out in the same manner as described in Example X. 155.5 g. of

mamswmnl O a was recovered, i.e., 95.6%.

EXAMPLE XXXI The pressure vessel referred to in Example VII was charged with 11.5 g. sodium (0.5 mole), 7.65 g. aluminum powder of 88.23% purity (0.25 mole), 87.15 g. Al(SCH CH SCH (0.25 mole), 600 ml. of toluene and a stirring rod. The reaction and isolation was carried out in the manner as described in Example XXIX. The yield was g. NaAlH (SCH CH SCH i.e., 97.7% of the theoretical.

EXAMPLE XXXII The same pressure vessel as referred to in Example VII was charged with 46 g. sodium (2 moles), 30.6 g. aluminum powder of 88.23% purity (1 mole), 89 g. (CH NCH CH OH (1 mole) and 8 steel balls. Hydrogen was introduced into the vessel to increase the pressure to 90 atm. The reaction was carried out at 160 C. for a period of 4 hours. Extraction with benzene yielded a solution from which, subsequent to stripping ofi of benzene, 110 g. of NaAlH (OCH CH N(CI-I was recovered, i.e. 96.5% of the theoretical yield. Besides, 5 8.6 g. of solid residue was obtained, containing Na A1H 17 i.e. 0.25 mole, 600 m1. benzene and a stirring rod. Further treatment and isolation were the same as in Example XXIX. The reaction yielded 145 g. of

a( 2)15 3) i.e., 98.5% of the theoretical.

EXAMPLE XLII Into the pressure vessel referred to in Example VII were charged 42.0 g. sodium hydride (1.75 moles), 7.65 g. aluminum powder of 88.23% purity (0.25 mole), 112 g.

i.e. 0.5 mole, and 8 steel balls. Further treatment of the reaction mixture and isolation were carried out in the manner described in Example XL. The reaction yielded i.e., 97.7% of the theoretical, and 54 g. of a solid product, insoluble, containing 92.1% of Na A1I-I i.e., 97.6% of the theoretical yield of the latter compound.

EXAMPLE XLIH Into the pressure vessel referred to in Example VII were charged 72.1 g.

m (011926 0.5 mole) 15.3 aluminum powder of 88.23% purity (0.5 mole),

@cmonlon 0.5 mole) 600 m1. benzene and a stirring rod. The reaction was carried out and the product was isolated in the manner described in Example X; 190 g. of

NaA1H (0 omorn was obtained, i.e., 96.4% of the theoretical yield.

EXAMPLE XLIV i.e., 96.7% of the theoretical.

EXAMPLE XLV The same pressure vessel referred to in Example VII was charged with 11.5 g. sodium (0.5 mole), 15.3 g. aluminum powder of 88.23% purity (0.5 mole), 183.24 g. o-xylenol (1.5 moles), 600 ml. toluene and a stirring rod. Further treatment of the product and procedure of isolation were similar to those described in Example X. The reaction yielded 200 g.

NaAlH O CHa CH: 0

i.e., 96.5% of the theoretical.

EXAMPLE XLVI Into the same pressure vessel as described and referred to in Example V11 were charged 5.75 g. sodium (0.25 mole), 7.65 g. aluminum powder of 88.23% purity (0.25 mole), 95.12 g. n-C H (0CH CH CH OH, i.e., 0.5

mole, 600 ml. benzene and a stirring rod. Treatment of the reaction mixture and isolation of the product were the same as in Example X. The reaction and isolation g. of NaAlI-I ,O(CH CH CH O) C H i-e- 97.5% of the theoretical.

The starting compound n-C H (OCH CH CH 0H was obtained in the following manner: Into a 2-liter threenecked flask provided with a stirrer, a dropping funnel and a reflux condenser were charged 1200 ml. toluene and 154 g. of n-C H (CH ONa. The reaction mixture was heated to C. and g. of trimethyleneglycol chlorohydrin was added dropwise for a period of 1.5 hours. Subsequently, the reaction mixture was heated for another 4 hours. Upon cooling, the solid residue was filtered OE and the filtrate was fractionally distilled. The distillation fraction 126-130 C./ 13 mm. Hg yielded 85 -g. of the desired substance.

EXAMPLE XLVII The same pressure vessel referred to in Example VII was charged with 12.0 g. sodium hydride (0.5 mole), 7.65 g. aluminum powder of 88.23% purity (0.25 mole),

AlH (OCHFL J CHa) O z 600 ml. diglyme and a stirring rod. Further treatment of the reaction mixture was the same as in Example XXIX. The solid residue was filtered off from the reaction mixture and diglyme was vacuum-stripped; 40 g. of the product of the formula NaAlHO CHa-l O LCH:

was obtained, i.e., the yield amounted to 95.23% of the theoretical.

EXAMPLE XLVIII Into a 2.5-liter pressure vessel were chagcd 46 g. sodium (2 moles), 32.9 g. aluminum of 82% purity in powdered form (aluminum contained 18% of aluminum oxide as impurity) and 38 g. CH OC H OH (0.5 mole), 500 ml. benzene and a stirring bar for stirring of the reaction mixture. Hydrogen was fed into the pressure vessel to establish a pressure of atm., and the reaction was carried out at 200 C. for a period of 3 hours. The reaction mixture was filtered ofi? and extracted with tetrahydrofurane; 55.4 g. of Na AlH was obtained of 88.5% purity, i.e., 96.1% of the theoretical yield. The benzene filtrate contained alkoxyaluminohydrides, which were subsequently used for catalyzing the next synthesis.

EXAMPLE XLIX The same pressure vessel as described in Example VII was charged with 46 g. sodium (2 moles), 61.2 g. powdered aluminum of 88.23% purity (2 moles), 32 g. of methyl alcohol (1 mole) and 600 ml. benzene. A stirring bar was inserted for stirring of the reaction mixture. Hydrogen was introduced to build up a pressure of 100 atm. The reaction was carried out at C. for a period of 3.5 hours. Benzene was filtered OE and 124.5 g. of a mixture of NaAlH 0CH and NaAlH was extracted with tetrahydrofurane from the crude product which corresponds to 95.04% of the theoretical yield.

EXAMPLE L The same pressure vessel as described in Example VII was charged with 92 g. of sodium (4 moles), 54 g. Al(0C I-I i.e. 0.33 mole, 51 g. powdered aluminum of 88.23% purity (1.66 moles), 46 g. ethyl alcohol (1 mole) and 600 ml. toluene. The reaction and isolation of the product were carried out in a similar manner as described in Example XLIX. With tetrahydrofurane, 138.2 g. of

19 was extracted from the reaction mixture, i.e., 97.32% of the theoretical yield. The solid extraction residue amounted to 109.5 g. containing 89.51% of Na AlH i.e., 96.1% of the theoretical yield.

EXAMPLE LI The same pressure vessel as described in Example VII was charged with 34.5 g. sodium (1.5 moles), 45.9 g. powdered aluminum (88.23%), i.e., 1.5 moles, 45.5 g. NaAl(OC H -n) i.e., (0.1 mole), 90.5 g.

CH3(CH2) 15 i.e. 0.4 mole, 600 ml. diglyme and a stirring bar. The vessel was fed with hydrogen to build up a pressure of 100 atm. and, then, heated to 160 C. for a period of 4.5 hours. Subsequent to filtering off the said residue, the diglyme was stripped off in vacuo; 204.5 g. of a mixture was containing NaAlH3(O(cHg)15CH3' I1), NaAlH ((CH CI-I -n), and NaAlH which corresponds to 94.6% of the theoretical yield.

EXAMPLE LII The pressure vessel as described in Example VII was charged with 92 g. sodium (2 moles), 21.42 g. of powdered aluminum (88.23% purity), i.e., 0.7 mole, 31.25 g. NaAlH(OCH CH CH(CH i.e., 0.1 mole, 24.6 g. aluminum isobutylate (0.1 mole), 600 ml. benzene and a stirring bar. Hydrogen was introduced into the vessel to establish a pressure of 100 atm. and the vessel was: heated for 5 hours to 170 C. Subsequently to stripping oil of benzene, 60 g. of a mixture was extracted with tetrahydrofurane, consisting of NaAlH (OCH CH CH(CI-I and NaAlH (OCH CH(CH which corresponds to 94.1% of the theoretical yield. The solid extraction residue amounted to 67.3 g. and contained 88.4% of Na AlI-l i.e. 97.2% of the theoretical yield.

EXAMPLE LIII The pressure vessel as described in Example VII was charged with 80 g. sodium (3.5 moles), 45.9 g. powdered aluminum of 88.23% purity (1.5 moles), 600 ml. toluene, 37 g. n-butyl alcohol, 37 g. tertiary butyl alcohol and a stirring bar. The reaction and isolation was carried out in a manner similar to that described in Example LII. The extraction with tetrahydrof-urane yielded 97 g. of NaAlH (OCH CH CH CI-I (OC(CH which corresponds to 97.8% of the theoretical yield. The insoluble substance which amounted to 108 g. had a 91.6% content of Na AlH followingly 97% of the theoretical yield of Na A1H was achieved.

EXAMPLE LIV The same pressure vessel as described in Example VII was charged with 46 g. sodium (2 moles), 61.2 g. of aluminum powder of 88.23% purity (2 moles), 600 m1. benzene, 94.1 g. phenol (1 mole), and a stirring bar. A pressure of 100 atm. was built up in the vessel by introducing hydrogen and the vessel was heated to 170 C. for a period of 5 hours. Subsequent to evaporation of benzene, extraction of the distillation residue with tetrahydrofurane was carried out to yield 190 g. of the product mixture of NaAlHi and NaAlHz(O) i.e. the yield was 95% of the theoretical.

EXAMPLE LV The same pressure vessel as described in Example VII, was charged with 80.5 g. sodium (3.5 moles), 45.9 g. powdered aluminum of 88.23% purity (1.5 moles), 54 g. p=cresol (0.5 mole), 61.1 g. o-xylenol (0.5 mole), 600 ml. toluene and a stirring bar. The reaction and isolation were carried out in a manner similar to that of Example LII; 132 g. was obtained of a mixture containing NaAlHz(O-@CH=) and main. o-O

CH CH i.e., 94.2% of the theory and g. of a solid insoluble residue, in which the content of Na AlH amounted to 85.6%, i.e., to 96% of the theoretical yield.

EXAMPLE LVI The same pressure vessel as described in Example VII was charged with 80.5 g. sodium (3.5 moles), 45.9 g. aluminum powder of 88.23% purity (1.5 moles) and NaAlHz(0CHz-) i.e. 0.5 mole, 600 m1. benzene and a stirring bar. The reaction and isolation were carried out in the manner described in Example LII; g. of

was obtained, which corresponds to 97.5% of the theory. The insoluble residue amounted to 110 g., the content of Na AlH was 89.5%, i.e., 96% of the theory.

EXAMPLE LVII was obtained, i.e., 96.5% of the theory, and 112 g. of a solid insoluble residue, in which the content of Na AlH amounted to 87.9%, i.e. to 96% of the theoretical.

EXAMPLE LVIII The same pressure vessel as described in Example VII was charged with 59.8 g. sodium (2.6 moles) 24.8 g. sodium tetrahydrofurfurylate (0.2 mole), 36.72 g. aluminum powder of 88.23% purity (1.2 moles), 600 ml. toluene, 20.4 g. tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol (0.2 mole), 23.2 g.

CHaL LCHQOH and a stirring bar. The pressure of hydrogen in the pressure vessel was built up to 100 atm., and the vessel was heated to C. for a period of 4.5 hours. Subsequent to filtration of the reaction mixture, toluene was stripped oil from the reaction mixture and 102 g. of

recovered, which corresponds to 95.3% of the theoretical. The filtration cake yielded 90 g. of a solid substance, which contained 87.8% of Na AlH i.e., 96.8% of the theoretical yield.

EXAMPLE LIX The same pressure vessel as described in Example VII was charged with 46 g. sodium (2 moles), 76.5 g. of aluminum powder of 88.23% purity (2.5 moles), 69 g.

600 ml. of benzene, a stirring bar and 58 g.

I CHQOH The pressure vessel was fed with hydrogen to build up a pressure of 100 atm., and heated to 170 C. for a period of 4.5 hours. From the reaction mixture, 137 g. of

NaAlHz O CH:-

was extracted with benzene, i.e., 97% of the theory; subsequently, 103 g. of NaAlI-L, was recovered with tetrahydrofurane from the extraction residue, which corresponds to 95.3% of the theory.

EXAMPLE LX The same pressure vessel as described in Example VII was charged with 11.5 g. sodium (0.5 mole), 98 g. CH OCH CH ONa (1 mole), 45.9 g. aluminum powder of 88.23% purity (1.5 moles), 600 ml. benzene and a stirring bar. The reaction and isolation were carried out in a manner identical to that of Example LIX; 99 g. of

NaAlH (OCH CH OCH and 52 g. of NaAlH were obtained, i.e., 98% and 96.3% of the theory, respectively.

EXAMPLE LXI The same pressure vessel as described in Example VII was charged with 36 g. sodium hydride (1.5 moles), 45.9 g. aluminum powder of 88.23% purity (1.5 moles),

NaAlH OCH CH OC H (0.6 mole), 600 ml. toluene and a stirring bar. The reaction and the isolation were carried out in a manner similar to that of Example LIX; 58.5 grams of NaAlH (OCH CH O C H 2 and 95 g. NaAlH were obtained, i.e., the yields amounted to 96.5 and 97.7%, respectively.

EXAMPLE LXII The same pressure vessel as described in Example VII was charged with 160 g.

NaOCHzCHzOO 1 mole) 12 g. sodium hydride (0.5 mole), 11.5 g. sodium (0.5 mole), 15.3 g. aluminum powder of 88.23% purity (0.5 mole), 600 ml. benzene and a stirring bar. The reaction and the isolation were carried out in a manner similar to that described in Example LVIII; 158 g. of

rrmmocmcmoO) was obtained, i.e., 96.9% of the theory, plus 57 g. of a solid insoluble substance containing 85.9% of Na AlH which corresponds to 96% of the theory.

EXAMPLE LXIII The same pressure vessel as described in Example VII was charged with 32.2 g. sodium (1.4 moles), 30.6 g. aluminum powder of 88.23% purity (1 mole), 47.2 grams of i.e., 0.4 mole, 600 ml. benzene and a stirring bar. The reaction and the isolation were carried out in the manner described in Example LIX; 44.5 g. of

NaAlH2 2 and 62.5 g. NaAlH, were obtained, i.e., 96.7% and 96.4%, respectively, of the theoretical yield.

22 EXAMPLE LXIV The same pressure vessel as described in Example VII was charged with 25.3 g. sodium (1.1 moles), 30.6 g. aluminum powder of 88.23% purity (1 mole), 26.6 grams of AlH OCH CH OCH CH OCH 2 (0. 1 mole) 600 ml. toluene and a stirring bar. The reaction and the isolation were carried out in the manner described in Example LIX; 28 grams of NaAlH OCH CH O CH CH OCH 2 and 52.5 g. NaAlH were obtained, i.e., 96.5% and 97.2%, respectively, of the theoretical yield.

EXAMPLE LXV The same pressure vessel as described in Example VII was charged with 44.6 g. sodium (1.94 moles), 20.2 g. aluminum powder of 88.23% purity (0.66 mole), 14 grams of NaAl(O(CH CH O) CH (0.2 mole) 600 ml. benzene and a stirring bar. The reaction and isolation were carried out in a manner identical with that of Example LVIII. The reaction time, however, was prolonged to 5.5 hours; 14.5 g. of

NaAlH 3CH3 2 was obtained (95.9% theory), plus 68 g. of a solid insoluble substance, containing 93.4% of Na AlH i.e., 97.2% of the theoretical yield.

EXAMPLE LXVI The same pressure vessel as described in Example VII was charged with 25.3 g. sodium (1.1 moles), 33.7 g. aluminum powder of 88.23% purity (1.1 moles), 600 ml. toluene and 29.2 g.

LOlCHzOCIEhCHzOH (0.2 mole) and a stirring bar. The reaction and isolation were carried out in a manner identical with that of Example LIX;

33 grams of NaAlHz 0 CHzCHzOCHr-LO and 52 g. of NaAlH were obtained, i.e., 96.5 and 96.3% of the theory, respectively.

EXAMPLE LXVII The same pressure vessel as described in Example VII was charged with 52.5 g. sodium (2.2 moles), 23.25 g. of aluminum powder of 88.23% purity (0.75 mole),

NaA1H(0(CH CHz0)z) i.e., 0.08 mole, 600 ml. toluene, and a stirring bar. The reaction and the isolation were carried out in the manner described in Example LVIII; 47.5 g. of

NaA1Hz(O wmcmonQ) was obtained, i.e., 95.6% of the theory, plus 78 g. of insoluble solid substance, containing 91.6% Na AlH i.e., 97.3 of the theoretical yield.

EXAMPLE LXVIII 105 g. NaAlH (O(CH CH CH O) C H -n) and 52 g. NaAlI-L; were obtained, i.e., 97.5% and 96.3% of the theoretical yield, respectively.

EXAMPLE LXIX The same pressure vessel as described .in Example VII was charged with 34.5 g. sodium (1.5 moles), 30.6 g. aluminum powder of 88.23% purity (1 mole), 64 g. C H SCH CH ONa (0.5 mole), 600 ml. toluene, 106 g. C H SCH CH OH (1 mole) and a stirring bar. Hydrogen was introduced to build up a pressure of 100 atm. and the mixture was heated to 170 C. for a period of 6 hours. The reaction mixture was extracted with tetrahydrofurane, subsequent to stripping off toluene, 179 g.

i.e., 97.3% of the theory was recovered from the extract. The solid residue amounted to 5 8 g. and contained 89.5% Na AlH i.e., 96% of the theory.

EXAMPLE LXX The same pressure vessel as described in Example VII was charged with 69 g. sodium (3 moles), 30.6 g. aluminum powder of 88.23% purity (1 mole), 362.6

grams of A1(O (CH2) .SOHr-L a i.e. 0.66 mole, 600 ml. toluene and a stirring bar. The reaction and isolation were identical with those of Example was obtained (97.6% of the theory), plus 81 g. of a solid insoluble substance, containing 82.1% of Na AlH hence, the yield of Na AlH was 97.8% of the theoretical.

EXAMPLE LDOH The same pressure vessel as in Example VII was charged with 25.3 g. sodium (1.1 moles), 33.66 g. aluminum powder of 88.23% purity (1.1 moles), 40.2 grams of NaAl(OCH CH N(CH (0.1 mole), 600 ml. benzene and a stirring bar. The reaction and isolation were carried out in a similar manner as that described in Example LIX; 44 g. NaAlH (OCH CI-I N(CH and 52 g. NaAlH, were obtained, i.e. 96.5% and 96.2%, respectively, of the theoretical yields.

EXAMPLE LXXII EXAMPLE LXXHI The same pressure vessel as described in Example VII was charged with 25.3 g. sodium (1.1 moles), 33.7 g. aluminum powder 88.23% pure (1.1 moles) 33.4 grams of (CH OCH CH NCH CH- OH (0.2 mole), 600 ml. toluene and a stirring rod. The reaction and the isolation were carried out as in Example LIX; 37 g.

NaAlHz 2) 2 and 52.5 g. NaAlH were obtained, which amounted to 96.3% and 97.2%, respectively, of the theoretical yield.

24 EXAMPLE LXX'lV The same pressure vessel as described in Example VII was charged with 28.75 g. sodium (1.25 moles), 30. g. aluminum powder 88.23% pure (1 mole), 58 grams of Al(OCH CH N(CH (C H 600 ml. benzene and a stirring bar. The reaction and isolation were carried out as in Example LVIII. There were obtained: 62.5 grams of NaAlH (OCH CH N(CH )(C H i.e., 97.6% of the theory, and 106.5 g. of an insoluble substance, which contained 92.95% of Na AlH i.e., 97% of the theoretical yield.

EXAMPLE LXXV The same pressure vessel as in Example VII was charged with 85.1 g. sodium (3.7 moles), 39.8 g. aluminum powder 88.23% pure, (1.3 moles), and 45.8 grams of (0.1 mole), 600 ml. toluene and a stirring bar. The reaction and isolation were carried out as in Example LVIII. There were obtained: 50 grams of 2( 2)3 3)2)2 i.e., 97.6% of the theory, and 127 g. of an insoluble substance, which contained 94.2% of Na A1H i.e., 98% of the theoretical yield.

EXAMPLE LXXVI The same pressure vessel as described in Example VII was charged with 18.2 g.

NaO (011920 CH -Lo (0. 1 mole) 48.3 g. sodium (2.1 moles), 54.3 g. aluminum powder 88.23% pure (2.1 moles), 50.4 g.

Al O(CHz)zOCH i.e., 0.1 mole, 600 ml. toluene and a stirring bar. The reaction and isolation were carried out as in Example LIX. The yields were: 72.5 g.

NaAIHz O (CHz)2O CH i.e., 97.9% of the theoretical, and 104 g. 'NaAlH which corresponds to 96.3% of the theoretical amount.

EXAMPLE LXXVII The same pressure vessel as in Example VII was charged with 46 g. sodium (2 moles), 18.4 g. aluminum powder 88.23% pure (0.6 mole), 18.8 g.

i.e., 0.2 mole, and 600 ml. benzene and a stirring bar. The reaction and isolation were carried out as in Example LVIII. Subsequent to stripping off benzene from the reaction mixture, extraction with tetrahydrofurane was carried out, which yielded 32.5 g.

NaAlH (0CH CH OC H -n) i.e., 96.7% of the theory; the solid extraction residue amounted to 63 g.; 95.2% thereof was Na AlH which corresponds to 98% of the theory.

25 EXAMPLE LXXVIII The same pressure vessel as in Example VII was charged with 190 g.

L l-orrro 01191011 1 mole) 15.3 g. aluminum powder 88.23% pure (0.5 mole), 11.5 g. sodium (0.5 mole), and 600 ml. benzene. The reaction and isolation were carried out as in Example X. The yield was 207.5 g. of

NaAlH2 0 (CHzCHzOh-CHti O 2 96.5% of the theory.

EXAMPIJE LXXIX The same pressure vessel as described in Example VII was charged with 146 g.

LO CHz(O CH2CH2)40H (0.5 mole) 22.95 g. aluminum powder of 88.23% purity (0.75 mole), 40.25 g. sodium 1.75 moles), and 600 ml. toluene. The reaction and isolation were carried out in a manner similar to that of Example LII. The yields were: 151.2 grams of NaAlHz O (CHzCHzOh-I'JH i.e., 95.4% of the theory, and 53.4 g. of a solid extraction residue, which was found to contain 93% of Na AlH i.e., 97.45% of the theoretical value.

The starting compound was prepared in the usual manner from CHz-O-CHzCHzCl and Na(OCH CH OH.

EXAMPLE LXXX The same pressure vessel as in Example VII was charged with 148 g.

C H OCH CH (OH) CH OC H (1 mole), 15.3 g. aluminum powder 88.23% pure, (0.5 mole), 11.5 g. sodium (0.5 mole), and 600 ml. benzene. The reaction and isolation were carried out in a similar manner to that of Example X. The reaction yielded EXAMPLE LXXXI The same pressure vessel as described in Example VII was charged with 104 g.

CHzOCHa HO (CHzCHzOhCH CHzO CH:

(0.5 mole) 26 22.95 g. aluminum powder 88.23% pure (0.75 mole), 40.25 g. sodium (1.75 moles), and 600 ml. benzene. The reaction and isolation were carried out in a manner similar to that of Example LII.

The yields were: 113.4 g.

c1110 CH; NaAlHz(O (CHaCHzO) CE/I CH20 OH: 1

i.e., 97.3% of the theoretical value, and 54.1 g. of a solid extraction residue, which was found to contain 90.6% of Na AlH i.e., 96.1% of the theoretical yield.

The starting compound CH2O CH; HO(CH2CH2Oz( H-CH2O CH: was prepared in the usual manner from ClCH CH OCH CH OH and NCH-CH2O 0H:

CHaOCH;

The present invention is useful also for producing sodium aluminum hydrides of the type described, in connection with the ditferent method of the above-mentioned application Ser. No. 594,571 assigned to the same assignee as the instant case. These compounds comprise, for example,

NaAlHx 0 CHr-LQJ) NaAlHKO CHzCHzO R') NaAlH,(O CHzCHzCHzO R')4z, NaAlH;(O (CH1) ,0 (CH1) wO R) 4-;,

NaAlH (O (CH2) ,0 CH -L lNaAlH; O CH wherein R" and R'" are each selected from the group consisting of -R'O(CH and R, and wherein -R' is selected from the group consisting of alkyls with 1-4 carbon atoms and aryls with 6-8 carbon atoms, and wherein at is an integer between 1 and 3, inclusive, and z and w are each selected from the group of integers between 2 and 4, inclusive.

Without further analysis the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are in tended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. The process of making a compound selected from the group consisting of (A) compounds of the formula NaAlH (0R) wherein A is R1 0H .N

27 x is 1 or 2, z is an integer from 2 to 4 and CR and R are the same or different and are selected from the group consisting of alkyl of 1 to 4 carbon atoms and an aliphatic ether alkyl group having a total of 2 to 4 carbon atoms and 2 has the same meaning as above, (B) compounds of the formula NaAlH (OR wherein x is l or 2 and R is (alkylene OJ R wherein alkylene has 2 to 4 carbon atoms, y is 1 to 4 and R is selected from the group consisting of alkyl of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, phenyl,

LOiCHrand -0112- with the proviso that if x is 2 and alkylene has 2 carbon atoms, then R shall be other than methyl, the said process comprising hydrogenating sodium, aluminum and (a) in case of Compound A: a compound selected from the group consisting of A1H (OR) I IaAlI-I,,,(OR) and ROI-I, R having the meaning as above, (b) in case of Compound B: a compound selected from the group consisting of A]H (OH) and R 0H, R having the same meaning as above and m in both cases being 0, l or 2,

the said reaction being carried out at an elevated temperature and pressure in an inert aromatic hydrocarbon or ether medium, and the ratio of Na to R in the reaction being between 1:1 and 1:3.

2. The process of making compound of the formula NaA1H (OR) 3 wherein R is 2 is 2 to 4 and R and R are the same or different and are selected from the group consisting of alkyl of 1 to 4 carbon atoms and an aliphatic ether alkyl group having a total of 2 to 4 carbon atoms and z has the same meaning as above, the said process comprising hydrogenating sodium, aluminum and a compound selected from the group consisting of AlH (O*R) NaAlH (0R). and ROI-I, R having the meaning as above, the said reaction being carried out at an elevated temperature and pressure in an inert aromatic hydrocarbon or ether medium and the molecular weight ratio of sodium to being 1:2, and m being 0, 1 or 2.

3. The process of claim 2 wherein R and R are both alkyl of 1 to 4 carbon atoms.

4. The process of claim 3 wherein R and R are methyl or ethyl.

5. The process of making a compound of the formula NaAlH (O'R wherein at is 1 or 2 and R is (alkylene 0),,R wherein alkylene has 2 to 4 carbon atoms, y is 1 to 4 and R is selected from the group consisting of alkyl of l to 4 carbon atoms, phenyl,

[ Lou,- and OCH;-

the said process comprising hydrogenating sodium, aluminum and a compound selected from the group consisting of AlH (OR NaAlH (OR).; and R OH, R having the meaning as above and m being 0, 1 or 2, with the proviso that if x is 2 and alkylene has 2 carbon atoms, then R shall be other than methyl, the said reaction being carried out at an elevated temperature and pressure in an inert aromatic hydrocarbon medium, or ether medium and the ratio of Na to R in said reaction being between l:l and 1:3.

6. The process of claim 5 wherein at is 2, alkylene is ethylene and R is other than methyl.

7. The process of claim 6 wherein R is ethyl.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,394,158 7/1968 Chini et ai. 260448 -R 3,184,492 5/1965 Cole 260448 AD 3,507,895 A 4/ 1970 Casensky et a1. 260-448 AD 3,060,216 10/ 1962 Hamprecht et a1. 260-448 AD HELEN M. S. SNEED, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

